1.Practice of Positive
Oral contrast (Iodine based like Urograffin) is being replaced by
Negative/Neutral contrast agents including water with or without mannitol addition(for small bowel
distension). 100 ml bottles of Mannitol 20%(Weight by volume) are
popular as single patient use . Please carefully open the seal and
add drinking water to make the total volume to 2000 ml (i.e.
approximately about 1900 ml added ). Administer 1300ml out of this
slowly over 50 minutes to an hour duration, before taking up the
patient .Give an additional 200 ml (Total consumption would be
1500ml) before starting the scan ,on the table , to augment distension of
stomach/duodenum. (balance amount of 200 ml to be discarded)

3.If a patient is
on" NIL orally" instructions with stomach tube - NO
ORAL CONTRAST is the rule. In case of very Critically ill patients/
Very elderly (usually above 75 yrs +)/ haemodynamically compromised patients
(particularly on dialysis or acute cardiac patients etc ) or small babies
(usually below 5 years) and PREGNANT (of
course we should be avoiding abdominal CT), use your
discretion based on Individual needs.

4.In case of any doubt,
Plain drinking water is most non controversial (non distending )oral
negative agent Administration of IV buscopan is preferred if
Enterography is needed rather than routine Abdominal CT

About Dr. Sumer Sethi

Number of Entries : 35

Unique blend of academic excellence and entrepreneurship, heading leading firms in India- Teleradiology Providers, pioneering company providing teleradiology services and DAMS (Delhi Academy of Medical Sciences) Premier test preparation institute in India for MD/MS/MCI preparation. He has also been an invited faculty member at various conferences, including Teleradiology in IRIA 2008 and 2011, Hospital Build Middle East, Congress of the Brain Tumor Radiology in Neuro-oncology Society. Dr. Sethi is Editor-in-Chief of Internet Journal of Radiology. He has a keen interest in Web 2.0 technologies and in maintaining his famous radiology blog, which has been featured in multiple international journals.